Cruise Bar & Restaurant, the harbourside institution with front-row views of the Sydney Opera House, has just reopened after months of extensive renovations - and it’s arriving with a whole new look, feel, and flavour.
Long a favourite of celebrities, socialites, and jet-setters, Cruise has hosted everyone from Kylie Minogue to Fleetwood Mac and Justin Beiber. Now, after a luxe makeover by award-winning design firm Luchetti Krelle, it’s reclaiming its place as the city’s ultimate waterfront destination. Expect a sophisticated, modern Australian menu, a cocktail list brimming with native botanicals, and a space that blends refined elegance with effortless fun. Cruise is back—and it’s better than ever.
Led by Head Chef Han Chen (ex-Amare, Felix), the new menu is a deep dive into Australia’s native larder, drawing inspiration from the country’s diverse landscapes. Dishes include bush tomato butter mussels, pan-seared Humpty Doo barramundi with macadamia cream, and confit duck risotto with butternut squash and crispy saltbush. For those looking to indulge, the Grande Cruise Seafood Tower showcases freshly shucked Royal Miyagi oysters, Australian prawns, scallop ceviche, and scallop mousse zucchini flowers—a celebration of premium local seafood.
The drinks list has had its own reinvention, led by Tom Bulmer (Margaret, O Bar, Jane) and a team that knows its way around native flavours. The Lilly Flower brings together raspberry, lilly pilly, Casamigos tequila, and hibiscus, while the Afternoon Fashion reinvents a classic Old Fashioned with croissant-washed whisky and toasted wattleseed. Other highlights include the Berry in Sight, a bold blend of mulberry, bush apple, blended whisky, and desert lime shrub, and the Different Aspect, balancing lemon aspen, peach sorbet, and Tanqueray Sevilla gin
Taking over the top floor is Melba’s Rooftop, an exclusive new space named for Dame Nellie Melba—opera royalty, and the namesake of a storied Australian cargo ship. A sunset-hued haven with panoramic harbour views, Melba’s will be open for private functions, weddings, conferences and ticketed special events.
“Sydney has changed a lot in the past decade, but there’s always been a place for a venue like Cruise,” says General Manager John Harvey. “It’s got history, it’s got views that stop you in your tracks, and now it’s got an elevated experience to match.
“We’ve carefully curated an offering that reflects Sydney’s evolving food and drink culture. From the menu to the design, every detail has been considered to create an experience that feels fresh, exciting, and uniquely Cruise. This isn’t just a comeback—it’s a statement, and we can’t wait to welcome Sydney back,” said Harvey. For more details and to view the full menu, visit www.cruisebar.com.au
